Propaganda by the Lutheran and Catholic churches : the use of music, painting, sculpture and architecture to draw the faithful (16th.-18th. century)

Abstract

This dissertation examines how successful the Catholic Church was when it used the visual arts as propaganda to stem the spread of Protestantism after Luther‟s revolt because of his justified criticism of its many abuses. It will also explore if Protestants missed out because they did not use the visual arts. The Catholic Church was compelled to mount a massive propaganda campaign to counter the biggest challenge it had ever faced when Luther used the printing press to spread his message throughout Europe. These arts had to appeal to the senses so emotional ornamentation for delectare, docere and muovere, was used to get the exercitant to participate. The Catholic Church used opulent architecture, illusionistic ceiling paintings to make visible Saints‟ missionary or charitable works, grandiose conversion, martyrdom or healing scenes and sculpture that involved the unity of the arts for mystic scenes to overwhelm the observer so he participates in the event portrayed. These works proclaimed the triumphant Counter-Reformation Church. Luther, on the other hand, while not exactly against the visual arts, did not want them used for veneration or to buy one‟s way into heaven, so Protestants decorated pulpits and baptismal fonts which the Protestant liturgy needed. Both Churches wanted to use music for instruction and participation in masses or services and both included it in the curriculum. Both used emotional ornamentation to appeal and to dramatise the Bible text so people learnt their texts and both excluded music that overshadowed text. After some background information and the need for propaganda, the position of both Churches towards the arts precedes the chapters about how these arts were used during the Counter-Reformation. The study will then end by an evaluation of the results of the research supported by figures to show the Catholic Church‟s success.